"[HHS] has proposed 2020 out-of-pocket maximums for non-grandfathered plans of $8,200 for self-only coverage and $16,400 for other than self-only coverage. These proposed amounts reflect a change in how HHS determines the amount of the adjustment -- a change that, if finalized, would also affect the employer shared responsibility assessment amounts for 2020. In addition, HHS has also proposed rules that would change how amounts paid for brand-name drugs are applied towards the out-of-pocket maximums."
Buck

"[Information Letter 2018-0033] confirms that where there is clear documentary evidence demonstrating that there was an administrative or process error, the employer may request the return of the contributed amounts, with any correction placing the parties in the same position as if the error had never occurred."
The Wagner Law Group

"Under [S. 470], consumers aged 50 to 64 could shop for Medicare coverage on the [ACA]'s insurance exchanges, allowing them to compare the program's offerings to plans already available to them ... Consumers would buy the plans at full cost, so the legislation is scored as budget-neutral instead of increasing deficits -- although customers eligible for Obamacare subsidies may use them to defray their Medicare buy-in premium."
InsuranceNewsNet.com

"Healthcare spending has outpaced gross domestic product growth over the last five years, reaching an all-time high in 2017 ... People are essentially paying more for the same amount of care.... The share of U.S. physician practices owned by hospitals or systems increased from 27% to 48% from 2011 to 2016 ... That led to a 9% price increase in specialist outpatient procedures and a 5% hike in primary-care outpatient procedures[.]"
Modern Healthcare Online; free registration required

"Review your plan's out-of-pocket maximum to make sure it complies with the ACA's limits for the 2019 plan year ($7,900 for self-only coverage and $15,800 for family coverage).... For 2019, the out-of-pocket maximum limit for HDHPs is $6,750 for self-only coverage and $13,500 for family coverage.... [C]onfirm that the plan will coordinate all claims for EHBs across the plan's service providers or will divide the out-of-pocket maximum across the categories of benefits, with a combined limit that does not exceed the maximum for 2019."
Strategic Benefit Services

"The stores have an increased focus on health services, including a wellness center and more chronic care management for diseases like diabetes, committing about 20% of the physical store space to health endeavors rather than snacks or other convenient store supplies."
Business Insider

"On the federal level, we should expect to see promulgation of regulations by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration outlining the special registration exception as mandated by the SUPPORT Act passed in 2018, allowing a pathway for health care providers to prescribe controlled substances through telemedicine ... On the state level, as telehealth becomes a mainstream mode of health care delivery, we are seeing states attempt to legislate telehealth services in more targeted, and potentially contentious, areas of health care."
Epstein Becker Green

"Ms. Holladay claimed the company interfered with her FMLA rights by not designating her absences as FMLA. The Court concluded that if Ms. Holladay cited migraines as the reason for her absences in the voicemails then the company should have designated her absences as FMLA. If Ms. Holladay only said that she was ill her notice was deficient and her FMLA claim fails. Because there was competing evidence on both sides the Court held that a jury must decide in a trial." [Holladay v. Rockwell Collins, Inc., No. 17-078 (S.D. Iowa Jan. 24, 2019)]
Jackson Lewis P.C.

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